For years, athletes who engage in sports which require the catching of a small, hard ball with the hand have been plagued by the constant stress that catching the ball places on their palm and fingers. The conventional large baseball or softball glove currently used for catching is not entirely effective in protecting the hand from the stress received when the ball impacts the glove.
The thin, tight fitting glove used by batters is ineffective for use as an inner glove inside the bulkier, larger, outer baseball or softball glove used in the field for catching the ball because it has no padding and is designed solely to increase the batters grip. All purpose gloves have been designed, but, because of the differences in the optimum design characteristics between a batting glove and an inner protective glove for catching, the all purpose gloves fail to encompass the optimum design parameters, including proper location, thickness, and cushion properties, necessary for proper functioning of an inner glove.
Protective palm pads also have been used but these are difficult to maintain in the proper location and inhibit hand flexibility within the glove because of the excess padding in the crease areas of the palm.
Although conventional baseball or softball gloves are padded, the padding in these large gloves is either insufficient or ineffective much before the glove reaches its maximum utility. In order to eliminate the sting which the player's hand is subjected to when the padding is insufficient or ineffective, the player often will remove his index finger from the glove through an aperature located across the back of the hand. In an effort to overcome the undesirable consequences which attend the use of the glove in this manner, and increase the protection of the player's hand, without decreasing the player's ability to control the glove, attempts have been made to protect this part of the player's hand, but without success.
Existing all purpose and batter's tight-fitting gloves, and protective pads, when used in conjunction with the larger mitts are deficient in that these gloves and pads: are too bulky, thereby inhibiting control; do not protect the critical areas of the hand which receive the stress of catching the ball; do not remain in the proper position; and/or have elastic, shock absorbing cushions which propelling the ball away from the hand on impact thereby working against the proper functioning of the outer mitt and hand.
This invention is an improved protective inner athletic glove designed for wear inside a larger baseball or softball glove. Unlike other gloves designed in the past, the non-springy, shock absorbing cushions of this inner glove enhance the utilization of the outer glove because the cushions act in concert with the outer glove permitting mobility of the hand, with protection in critical areas, without propelling the ball away from the hand on impact as usually is experienced with padding exhibiting inherent elastic characteristics.
It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide a protective inner athletic glove to be used with a larger, outer baseball or softball glove for catching small, hard balls during play.
Another object of this invention is to provide a protective inner athletic glove made of skin tight soft leather for flexibility and comfort.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a protective inner athletic glove with sufficient non-springy cushion in critical areas to protect the hand on impact thereby reducing the incidence of injury.
It is another object of this invention, therefore, to provide a tight fitting protective inner athletic glove with non-springy cushions to enhance the catching characteristics of the outer baseball or softball glove.
A further object of this invention to provide a tight fitting protective inner athletic glove for use inside a larger glove which permits, and does not interfere with, the proper functioning of the outer baseball or softball glove and hand.
Another object of this invention is to provide a unique glove which increases proficiency and confidence of the player during defensive play of baseball and softball.
Still another object of this invention is to extend the useful life of the large, outer baseball or softball glove by providing for continued use after the padding in the baseball or softball glove has become worn and ineffective.
Further objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparent in light of the following drawings and description of the preferred embodiment of the invention.